


Jerusalem Bells Are Ringing

by matan4il



Series: Jerusalem Bells Are Ringing (Jewish!Buck 'verse) [1]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Catholic Character, Catholic!Eddie, Jewish Character, Jewish!Buck, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:08:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23717221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matan4il/pseuds/matan4il
Summary: They’re naked in bed together, in Buck’s room, basking in the aftermath of sex. Eddie’s been caressing Buck’s body in lazy patterns when he gets to the chest tattoo."What does this one stand for?"Or the first installment in a Jewish!Buck AU that a few people asked for. It comes with a side serving of Catholic!Eddie.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Series: Jerusalem Bells Are Ringing (Jewish!Buck 'verse) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1879417
Comments: 90
Kudos: 450
Collections: 9 1 1





	Jerusalem Bells Are Ringing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [the17stairs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/the17stairs/gifts).



> The lovely [The17Stairs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/snapegirl/pseuds/snapegirl) asked for an AU where Buck is Jewish. Endless thanks to her and everyone else who was enthusiastic about this, brainstormed about it or answered a few of my questions on Catholicism. Thank you all so much, as well as to the fabulous [Nilshki](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nilshki/pseuds/nilshki) for beta’ing this!
> 
> Any feedback is appreciated, especially as I outline the next installments. Cheers! xox

They’re naked in bed together, in Buck’s room, basking in the aftermath of sex. Eddie’s been caressing Buck’s body in lazy patterns when he gets to the chest tattoo.

"What does this one stand for?" 

Buck shrugs. The tattoo is somewhat disguised on purpose. Plausible deniability. When people see it, they don’t guess. So this is one of those moments again, when he has to decide. It’s always a scary moment, to have to choose whether to leave himself exposed, no matter what he ends up deciding. "Come on," Eddie doesn’t let up at the face of his reluctance. "I’ve told you the meaning behind all of mine." 

Buck stares at him silently. Eddie’s brown eyes have the fascinating tendency to change shade, almost like moods, from something dark and dangerous to the more golden hue they are right now, soft to a surprising degree. Buck swallows. 

"It’s a Star of David," he replies, head bowed down a little. It’s a defensive posture he’s learned from doing some boxing. Keep your chin down, make sure it’s guarded, fists up. He always goes into it when he does share that he’s Jewish with someone. Truthfully, most people don’t react badly, but with the few that do, it can get pretty ugly. Buck’s blocked out of his memory all of first grade and the daily beatings from that group of fourth graders who informed him he’s a scum of the earth Jesus killer. The school teachers didn’t give any signs of caring. Maybe one or two even agreed, it wouldn’t be too surprising. When Buck got the opportunity, building up his muscles, learning to box, it happened for a reason. 

"You’re Jewish?" Eddie’s eyebrows shoot up. "How come you didn’t mention it?" 

Buck shrugs. "How come you didn’t tell me you’re bi sooner?" 

"I..." Eddie scratches at his neck uncomfortably, "it’s not something I bring up most of the time. I guess I don’t like the thought of being judged because of it. Even people who say they’re fine with bisexuality... sometimes they change how they act around me, you know? Even stuff like... they decide it’s suddenly fine to talk to me about their sex life when they never did before." 

Buck nods and tilts his head as he states, "Same." 

Eddie turns his head to the side, clearly processing it. When he looks back, he has another question. "Hey, do you pray?" 

"Sometimes. Not as often as some." 

"Can I see it?" 

Buck can’t help the laugh he lets loose. It’s not strictly amusement. "Really, now?" 

Eddie nods. "If it’s okay." 

How will he react when he sees it... and why does he even want to? Buck can’t bring himself to ask aloud. The items that he uses for prayer are on the top shelf of his closet. He leaves the bed and goes to grab them, brings them over and places them on the sheets by Eddie, who’s watching intently. Buck quickly grabs a few clothes from the closet, underwear, shorts, a t-shirt. He puts them on and thinks about how many times he’s underssed for past sex partners. It’s the first time he dresses up for one. He opens the velvet bag and takes out the blue kippah, placing this skull cap carefully over the top of his head. Pulls out the prayer shawl, lets it fall and unfold in his hands, then drapes it over his shoulders while holding the sides over his heart. He picks up the prayer book and walks over to the window. Conversing with God can be a lot of things, but for Buck, it’s about gratitude more than anything else and he never reverberates with this sentiment more than when he looks out at the city that he gets to help keep safe. He opens the book and adjusts to the light that falls on the page. 

He thinks about Eddie’s body, so perfectly sculpted and now he knows how supple it is under Buck’s fingers. It tells him exactly what blessing to read out. He turns the pages to find the one meant to thank God for the glory of his creation when coming across an extraordinary person. 

He utters the ancient words in Hebrew, the same ones that his ancestors have spoken in prayer, through every generation and in every land, for thousands of years. The ones that begin with the personal and end with the universal. "Baruch ata adonay," _Blessed art thou, My Lord,_ "eloheinu," _our God,_ "melech ha’olam," _king of the universe,_ "she’kacha lo be’olamo," _that this is how he’s made his world,_ "amen". 

"What are you praying for?" 

Buck looks over at the bed. "I’m not asking for something, I’m thanking God." 

Eddie bites the corner of his lip. "So... it’s a little like the Lord’s Prayer? That’s the one I was taught to say as a Catholic when I want to feel connected and thank Him." 

"I guess, yeah." 

Eddie rises from the bed in all of his beautiful, breathtaking nakedness. "Is it okay if I say mine along with yours?" Buck can’t speak, so he nods. All men were created in God’s image, all equal. So why wouldn’t all prayers be, too? When the man he loves approaches him, Buck opens up his arms to encompass Eddie under his prayer shawl. They lean their foreheads against each other, embracing under the cloth. 

"Modim anachnu lach..." 

_We are thankful to thee,_

"Padre nuestro..." 

_Our Father,_

"She’ata hu adonay, eloheinu..." 

_Who art my Lord, Our God,_

"Que estás en el cielo..." 

_Who art in Heaven,_

"Ve’elohei avoteinu, le’olam va’ed." 

_And the God of our ancestors, for always and ever._

"Santificado sea tu nombre." 

_Hallowed be thy name._

Buck is close to choking up. He had never shared this part of himself with anyone he has gone to bed with and certainly not like this. In the soft light falling on them through the big window, he feels truly blessed by this new form of love and intimacy.

**Author's Note:**

> Fic and series title taken from Coldplay's song _Viva La Vida_.


End file.
